Shares in Monte dei Paschi rise strongly at open

MILAN (Reuters) - Shares in Monte dei Paschi shot up more than 9 percent in early trade on Wednesday after sources said Italy is preparing to take a controlling stake in the troubled bank. The Treasury is considering buying 2 billion euros ($2.1 billion) in Monte dei Paschi's subordinated debt held by retail investors and convert it into shares. Italy's banking stock index <.FTIT8300> rose 1.9 percent. (Reporting by Valentina Za, editing by Agnieszka Flak)